Falmouth bomb cordon shrinks, but 339 homes must still leave

If you live near Falmouth Docks, there is good news and there is a deadline. The evacuation zone around the unexploded wartime bomb has shrunk by almost half. But if your home still falls inside it, you need to be out by 9am tomorrow.

Following final advice from army bomb disposal experts, the cordon expected to come into force in Falmouth on Wednesday 23 September has been revised down from 1,400 metres to 755 metres. A smaller 300-metre cordon remains in place for now.

Who has to leave, and by when

The new cordon takes in an estimated 339 households, which will be evacuated tomorrow morning (Wednesday 23 September). Cornwall Council says it is updating the details of which properties may be affected by the revised cordon.

“If you live within the cordon area, you are strongly urged to leave your home by 9am tomorrow,” said Superintendent Ian Thompson, policing Commander for West Cornwall at Devon and Cornwall Police. “This is in order for the unexploded wartime bomb near Falmouth Docks to be dealt with safely.”

A map of the expected 755-metre cordon, published alongside the update, is at the bottom of this article.

What to do if you live inside the cordon

• Check whether your property falls inside the new 755-metre cordon. The council is updating the list of affected properties on its Falmouth incident page.
• Plan to leave your home by 9am on Wednesday 23 September.
• Follow police guidance on the day. Officers, with support from partner agencies, will be in the area to speak directly with affected residents and make sure they have the support they need.
• Keep an eye on the Cornwall Council website, where further help and advice is available and updates will be posted throughout the operation.

Why the whole area has to be cleared

The size of the cordon is set by the military bomb disposal experts, and Ian was clear that nothing moves until the area is empty.

“An evacuation of this area is essential so these specialists can proceed safely with the next stage of their work,” he said. “Our priority is public safety and protecting lives and it is important to note that our military colleagues will not be able to safely remove this device until they are reassured that the area has been evacuated.”

He added: “We are very grateful for the co-operation of residents at what we appreciate is a difficult and concerning time.”

A smaller zone, the same message

Cllr Thalia Marrington, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for Community Safety and Public Health, welcomed the reduction but said the evacuation still matters just as much for those inside it.

“While we are of course pleased that the cordon has been reduced in size following a new assessment by army disposal experts, we still need people living within the cordon to follow the police guidance and evacuate the area on Wednesday morning,” she said.

“Our priority as always is resident safety, and I’d like to thank the emergency services and other partner agencies for putting plans together at such short notice in difficult circumstances.”

Ian said all agencies are working together to do everything they can to minimise any ongoing disruption, with the latest updates due on the council’s Falmouth incident page.

📷Map of the expected 755-metre cordon around Falmouth Docks